• The Model Railway Shop

    The Model Railway Shop is open
    Monday to Saturday 10.00am – 4.30pm

    Pecorama & Exhibition

    Monday Closed
    Tuesday Closed
    Wednesday 10.00am-4.00pm
    Thursday 10.00am-4.00pm
    Friday 10.00am-4.00pm
    Saturday 10.00am-4.00pm
    Sunday Closed
  • DIRECTIONS TO EX12 3NA

    BY CAR:

    Follow the brown official tourist board direction signs indicated with a train symbol for ‘Pecorama Pleasure Gardens’ from the A3052 towards Beer.

    BY BUS:

    For full details please telephone Devon Bus Service on (01392) 382800, or Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.

    BY TRAIN:

    The nearest train station to Pecorama is Axminster, on the West of England main line.

  • Information Line

    Should there be anything you would like to enquire about you can call on 01297 626204 or e-mail us at info@pecorama.co.uk

  • Check the weather

    The weather is looking lovely all week!

  • TRIPADVISOR

Our Trains

Dickie

Delivered in 1976 and built by David Curwen of Devizes, Wiltshire. An 0-4-2 tender engine, the design is based loosely on the famous Douglas locomotive which operates on the Talyllyn 2ft 3in gauge railway in North Wales. The loco has 9 inch driving wheels with two outside cylinders, a bore of 3½ inches and a stroke of 4 inches, with Walschaerts valve gear. The boiler has a diameter of 10¾ inches and it works at a steam pressure of 100lb per square inch. “Dickie” was named by the comedian Richard Murdoch and having been re-boilered in 1992, has seen continuous service for the past 30 years.

Thomas II

Built in 1979 by Roger Marsh of Coventry. An 0-4-2 ST plus tender locomotive, following the general appearance of Quarry Hunslet loco’s with 3½ inch bore by 4¼ inch stroke cylinders, 9½ inch driving wheels, Walschaerts valve gear and a 10¾ inch diameter boiler. “Thomas II” was named by the well-known West Country band “The Wurzels” (of which Thomas Banner is a member!) on one of the busiest days the railway has ever seen. The loco’ became the prototype of what has now become a class of engine popular with 7¼ inch gauge railway operators, ensuring many further examples being built since 1979.

On the occasion of the 2009 Garden Open Day for Charity, July 19th, Paul Atterbury of Antiques Roadshow fame re-dedicated Thomas to the railway. During the winter of 2008/2009 Thomas had a major refit and a fresh coat of paint – well deserved after 30 years’ service.

Linda

Built by John Clarke of Denbigh, date unknown. Rebuilt by TMA Engineering, Birmingham in 1983 and delivered to Pecorama the same year. A 2-4-0 ST plus tender locomotive which started life as a scale model of the Ffestiniog Railway’s Linda, with 3¾ inch bore by 4 inch stroke cylinders, inside Stephensons valve gears 8 inch diameter driving wheels and 10 inch diameter boiler. The prototype of this engine was built as an 0-4-0 ST for use on Lord Penryn’s extensive slate quarry railway system in North Wales and was named after one of his daughters.

Mr P

Designed and completed in 1997 by John Macdougall, Chief Engineer on the Beer Heights Light Railway. A 2-4-2 tank and tender engine with 3¼ inch by 4½ inch cylinders, 10 inch driving wheel, Walschaerts valve gear and 12 inch diameter boiler which employs the gas producer combustion system. This loco is named after the late Mr S C Pritchard, founder of the PECO group of companies as well as the BHLR. He was affectionately known to his staff as “Mr P”. The engine has become the mainstay of the fleet and operates over 1000 miles each year. It is finished in Midland Railway livery.

Claudine

Completed in August 2005 and named during the railway’s 30th anniversary celebration weekend by T.V. celebrity and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman, Claudine is a unique 2-4-4 single Fairlie tank locomotive. B.H.L.R. Chief Engineer John Macdougall designed and built the loco which has an articulated power bogie and rear truck making her eminently suited to the line’s sharp curves and steep gradients. The boiler, motion and cylinders are all the same as those on “Mr P” except, in this case, piston valves have been employed on the slightly inclined cylinders. Claudine is named after the late Sydney Pritchard’s wife who was a co-founder of the Peco group of companies in 1946, and is finished in L.B.S.C. “improved engine green”; livery (yellow ochre).

Otter

Built by Western Narrow Gauge and delivered in 2004, “Otter” is privately owned by one of the drivers and is permanently based on the BHLR.  The 2-4-2 tender loco with 3¼  by 4½ inch cylinders and a 12 inch diameter boiler is similar mechanically to the successful “Mr P” design but with a higher cab plus tender cab which gives the driver full weather protection.  The loco is finished in West Midlands peacock blue livery.

Gem

0-6-0T + 4 wheel Tender (Engerth arrangement). Built in 1999 by John Denslow / B.H.L.R. This is a heavily modified ‘Romulus’ design with cylinders 2¼ inch bore x 3 5/16in stroke, 6 ⅝ inch diameter driving wheels, Baker valve gear, 8 inch O/D boiler barrel, 52 sq.inch. grate area. No. 8 is turned out in Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway lined black livery.

Alfred

Alfred is a tram style electric locomotive which is powered by two pairs of on board traction batteries driving four powerful motors. Built in 2003 by John Macdougall and his assistant Carolyn Nation, Alfred can occasionally be seen operating the new “Beer Mine Shuttle” down the steeply graded branch line to Wildway Down Station, usually hauling one or two trailers. Alfred was officially named by Alan Gardiner, Managing Director of the nearby Seaton Tramway, in memory of Carolyn’s grandfather to whom she attributes her fascination with all things mechanical.

Jimmy

Built in 1986 by Severn Lamb, Stratford-On-Avon and named that year by comedian Jimmy Cricket, Jimmy is a bogie diesel hydraulic locomotive equipped with a Kubota 2 cylinder engine. Originally intended for use as a standby loco’ during quiet periods of operation, this engine is increasingly popular with the younger generation (some think it resembles “Mavis” from the Reverend W. Awdry’s “Thomas the Tank Engine” storybooks) and can often be seen hauling specials on the line. It is also extensively used for winter works trains, being quicker to “fire up” than a steam loco!

A major overhaul was given to Jimmy in 2016 – 30 years after being built. Jimmy is now running again with a replacement engine that was donated by an enthusiast. With the addition of Ben, our diesel locomotive, this means that for the first time in the railway’s nearly 50 year history, 2 internal combustion locos can run alongside the fleet of steam locos.

Jimmy underwent a complete new paint finish in 2022.

Ben

Ben was designed and constructed by Chief Mechanical Engineer John Macdougall and named by BBC News correspondent Ben Ando during the railway’s 40th Anniversary Celebration in August 2015. Powered by an 998cc petrol engine from a Mini, Ben is quieter and more comfortable to operate than our ageing ‘Jimmy’ and offers some protection for the drivers in bad weather. The chassis is fabricated from 3″ x 1½” channel and bogies are all 12mm plate bolted construction to aid removal of the gearboxes if necessary.

Jools

 

Built in 1999 by Exmoor Steam Railway, ESR 308, 0-4-2 tank engine, with sit in cab. Purchased by BHLR in 2014 and extensively rebuilt by  John Macdougall and Callum Darraugh, BHLR Loco works.

Cylinders 3 ½” bore x 4 ¼” stroke, 8 ½” coupled wheels, 12” diameter boiler, 120 psi working pressure.

Jools has dual controls and is used on our popular Driver Experience courses.

Blue version of South Eastern & Chatham Railway livery.

 

Pixicato

Wraxall & Nailsea Mining Division No.2 Pixicato.

Built in 2016 by Denver Light Railway, 0-4-2 plus bogie tender, loosely aesthetically based on the French “Decauville” design

Cylinders 3 1/2″ bore x  4 1/4″ stroke.

10″ coupled wheels, Walschaerts valve gear, boiler 10 3/4″ diameter. 100 psi working pressure.